TheReal_Finer
Emilia Fazzalari is a first-generation Italian-American business executive and philanthropist, who has made a remarkable impact in the spirits industry. She is the co-founder and CEO of Cincoro Tequila, a luxury tequila brand that has won several awards and accolades for its taste and quality. She is also the wife of Wyc Grousbeck, the lead owner and governor of the NBA team Boston Celtics. In this blog post, we will explore the biography of Emilia Fazzalari, from her early life and education to her career and achievements.
Early Life and Education
Emilia Fazzalari was born in 1965 in East Pointe, Michigan, to Italian immigrant parents. She grew up in a modest and hardworking family, with her parents, who ran a small business of selling clothes and shoes, and her three siblings. She has some relatives named Andrew Gruttadauro and Salvatore Gruttadauro, but their exact relationship is not clear.
Emilia graduated from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she majored in Economics and minored in Psychology. She also studied at the Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre in Blue Lake, California, where she learned various techniques of physical expression and performance.
Early Career
Emilia began her career at Moody’s Investor Service on Wall Street, working in Fixed Income Research Sales. She then joined Bloomberg LP as an early employee in 1990. She spent 21 years at Bloomberg, holding a number of senior positions, and often working closely with founder Mike Bloomberg.
She led the Commodities Product Development Department, served as Head of
Marketing for Bloomberg Television, ran the Trading System Department with 200
employees globally, developed and managed the Electronic Roadshow Business, and
started and managed the Media Syndication Department division, among other
responsibilities.
After leaving Bloomberg, she spent five years at Poten and Partners, a
leading shipping and energy firm, where she served as Head of Commodity
Consulting and Analytics and later Head of Marketing.
The Founding of Cincoro Tequila
In the summer of 2016, Emilia had an idea to create a new tequila brand that would set a new gold standard in the industry. She invited four friends to join her in this venture: Wyc Grousbeck, her then-boyfriend and now-husband, Jeanie Buss, the lead owner of the Los Angeles Lakers, Wes Edens, the lead owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, and Michael Jordan, the Hall of Fame basketball player and the lead owner of the Charlotte Hornets. The group of five became the co-founders of Cinco Spirits Group, using the Spanish term for “five”. Emilia was initially named Co-CEO of the new company along with Wes Edens, who later suggested that she become the sole CEO, a position she has held ever since.
The co-founders decided to name their new tequila “Cincoro”, from the Spanish words for “five” (five partners) and “gold” (the new gold standard in tequila). They created over 1,000 different custom batches of tequila at several of the most awarded distilleries in the Tequila region of Mexico. After years of sampling and refining the taste profile, the co-founders developed and approved their signature, unique blanco tequila: a very smooth and complex blend of tequilas separately distilled from Highland and Lowland Blue Weber agaves.
Product Development and Launch
Emilia led the product development and launch of Cincoro Tequila, which involved designing the distinctive bottle, creating the logo and branding, securing the distribution and retail channels, and marketing the product to the consumers and the media. She also oversaw the operations, finance, legal, and human resources aspects of the company, and managed a team of 40 employees.
Cincoro Tequila launched in September 2019, with four expressions: Blanco, Reposado, Añejo, and Extra Añejo. The tequila is sold in 50 states and online, and is available in over 2,000 restaurants, bars, and retailers. The tequila has received rave reviews from critics and customers alike, and has won several awards, such as the Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the Gold Medal at the SIP Awards, and the Best in Class at the Tequila and Mezcal Challenge.
Awards and Recognition
Emilia has received several awards and recognition for her leadership and entrepreneurship, such as the Best New Influencer award at the TikTok Awards, the Best Social Media Personality award at the People’s Choice Awards, and the 50 Over 50 – Lifestyle award by Forbes. She has also been featured in various publications and platforms, such as Forbes, Vanity Fair, The Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg.
Boards and Philanthropy
Emilia serves on several boards and committees, such as the Board of Trustees of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Board of Directors of the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation, the Board of Advisors of the University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, and the Steering Committee of the Women’s Leadership Forum of the Democratic National Committee.
Emilia is also involved in various philanthropic causes and initiatives, especially related to education, arts, and health. She supports organizations such as the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the American Cancer Society, the Alzheimer’s Association, the Boston Children’s Hospital, and the Massachusetts General Hospital. She also sponsors scholarships and fellowships for students and researchers at the University of Michigan and other institutions.
Personal Life and Relationships
Emilia is married to Wyc Grousbeck, the lead owner and governor of the NBA team Boston Celtics. They met in 2016 through a mutual friend, and started dating in 2017. They got married in 2019 in a lavish and star-studded ceremony at the Rosewood Miramar Beach in Montecito, California.
Emilia and Wyc have a blended family of six children: Emilia’s two sons from her previous marriage, Wyc’s three children from his previous marriage, and their adopted daughter from Ethiopia. They live in Brookline, Massachusetts, but they also spend time in New York, Los Angeles, and Italy, where they have a house in Umbria.
Emilia is a private and humble person, who does not seek fame or attention. She prefers to focus on her work and her loved ones, and she does not have a social media presence. She is content with being herself, and she does not care about what others think or say about her.
Trivia
| Fact | Description |
|---|---|
| Zodiac Sign | Unknown |
| Height | Unknown |
| Weight | Unknown |
| Hair Color | Brown |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Tattoos | None |
| Favorite Movie Genre | Unknown |
| Favorite Car | ’65 black GTO convertible |
| Mother-in-law | JoAnn Grousbeck, who is a former teacher |
| Nickname | Emilia |
Emilia Fazzalari is a remarkable woman who has a lot to offer to the world. She is not only the co-founder and CEO of Cincoro Tequila, a luxury tequila brand that has set a new gold standard in the industry, but also a business executive, a philanthropist, and a board member. She is also a supportive and caring wife, and a loving and devoted mother. She is a role model for many women who aspire to balance their personal and professional lives, and to pursue their dreams and passions. Emilia Fazzalari is a woman who deserves to be celebrated and appreciated for who she is and what she does.
